In the heart of the Santa Ana community, activism is rallying up to confront the rising tide of mass deportations that President Trump has enforced. Through peaceful protest, legal support and community outreach, people are advocating for the rights and dignity of immigrant families affected.
Santa Ana, a sanctuary city where immigrants make up 41% of the population, has continuously endured and resisted mass deportations. With President Trump’s return to office, many Santa Ana residents are in fear of increased U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity. This has sparked activism in the city, bringing together students, community leaders and citizens. Many are anxious about the overall impact this will have on undocumented families.
With many cities changing their policies, Santa Ana remains a sanctuary city committed to supporting undocumented citizens by limiting cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. However, despite its status as a sanctuary city, many Santa Ana residents believe that the city fails to protect the community against immigration enforcement actions.
Tee, an activist raised in a family with strong roots in activism, helped organize events like the February 3, Un Dia Sin Inmigrantes protest at Sasscer Park in Santa Ana, California.
“We’re called a sanctuary city, but we’re not really living up to the name, I would say,” Tee said. “I think our people are affected with fear. Not every day people are getting deported on the streets, but it is just a big fear thing. They’re getting affected by misinformation,”
Tee’s words showcase the common fear and uncertainty among Santa Ana’s immigrant population. Despite the city’s sanctuary status, the constant threat of deportation creates a sense of anxiety for residents. This fear extends to all of Santa Ana, including schools.
It is known that the Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD) is actively working with families to ensure that they are presented with valuable resources. SAUSD is training school staff on the proper protocol that must be followed during ICE encounters. Despite these proactive measures, many students still attend school with a sense of fear and uncertainty about potential ICE activity.
A.M., a senior at Orange County School of Arts, attended the protest on February 3 to stand up against the deportation of immigrants. A.M. has firsthand experience with the challenges that come with being part of an immigrant family and the uncomfortable feelings that come with attending school.
“I do not feel safe at school as we are an open campus and any deportation officer can walk in at any second,” A.M. said.
A.M.’s concerns about safety at school resonate with many students who feel vulnerable in an open campus environment. The feeling is shared with Anthony Nuñez, a student at MCHS who also participated in the same protest on Fourth Street.
“We have lock blocks and the security guard and stuff like that, but it’s an open campus, so anything can happen,” Nuñez said.
He believes that SAUSD should improve school security and prioritize the safety of students. These students’ experiences highlight the urgent need for schools to reassess their security measures and address the concerns of those who feel vulnerable in an open campus environment, especially for students whose immigration status adds an extra layer of fear and uncertainty.
This concern has spurred action within the Santa Ana community, where students are actively participating in peaceful protests. Recognizing the power of their voices, these young activists have rallied to raise awareness for an issue that directly affects their lives. For many, like Juanita, a senior at Santa Ana High School, this struggle is deeply personal.
“I live in Santa Ana, where it’s surrounded by immigrants,” Juanita said. “I think that’s a big part. My parents are immigrants. My aunts and uncles are immigrants. I think I need to stand up for them because they stood up for me,”
This personal connection fuels her commitment to protest and she notices a similar drive among her classmates.
“I’ve seen a lot of my peers attend many protests, missing school for that, and that’s honestly good because they’re showing you up for their people and for what they believe in,” Juanita said. “There has been a decrease in attendance and engagement,”
On February 3, students gathered in the historic streets of Santa Ana, holding a peaceful protest at Sasscer Park during school hours. This demonstration aimed to draw attention to the need for unity within the community. Carla, one of the protest organizers, shared the emotional impact and the purpose behind these actions.
“The community came together, and it felt powerful,” Carla said. “People would get emotional because they were hurting; they were angry. So I feel like that was the goal. I wanted people to feel safe in a way, but also feel like they need to be heard, or they can make their voices be heard by showing up and being heard,”
She believed that the protest was not only a powerful display of unity but also a vital opportunity for individuals to express their emotions and advocate for their community’s needs, ultimately making their voices heard.
However, not everyone shares the same perspective on this issue. Some in the community argue for stricter immigration enforcement, believing it to be a necessary step for maintaining order and security. In response to this perspective, protesters like Tee emphasize the importance of empathy and understanding.
“Find your empathy,” Tee said. “I feel like if you feel you have a claim over a country that originally wasn’t yours. It’s just like an insane moral thing,”
Juanita also has strong feelings about those who hold opposing views.
“I don’t think they understand the actual motive,” Juanita said. “I think that if someone doesn’t believe in what I believe in, that means that they’re not affected by what I’m affected by. Because you can be an immigrant and preach the opposite of what we believe in,”
K.G., a student at Saddleback High School who immigrated a few years ago, took part in the Santa Ana protests advocating for her community. She has firsthand experience with the emotional toll that affects not only herself but also those around her. As someone deeply affected by these immigration policies, she reflects on the rising stress and fear.
“También han aumentado el estrés y la ansiedad en la comunidad, impactando negativamente la salud mental y el sentido de estabilidad de muchas personas,” [“They have also increased stress and anxiety in the community, negatively impacting the mental health and sense of stability of many people,”] K.G. said.
Yet, despite the fear, she remains hopeful.
“Espero que estas protestas logren generar una mayor conciencia sobre la realidad de las familias inmigrantes y las injusticias que enfrentan debido a las deportaciones masivas,” [“I hope these protests manage to raise greater awareness about the reality of immigrant families and the injustices they face due to mass deportations,”] K.G. said.
In Santa Ana, activism is not just an act of resistance—it is a demand to be heard.
